WORCESTER City’s Jak Jeys hopes to be back in two to three weeks after sustaining a tear to the cartilage in his knee.

The striker was withdrawn six minutes into Monday’s 0-0 draw with Stourport Swifts and appeared from the dressing room on crutches, prompting concerns of a long-term problem.

And while the news will still be a disappointment ahead of tomorrow’s trip to Hereford-based Wellington in the first qualifying round of the FA Vase (3pm), Jeys confirmed his prognosis had been better than first feared.

“It was a shame to lose Jak because he had been chomping at the bit, he was very tender and it didn’t look great at first,” said manager Ashley Vincent.

“He was pretty jumpy with the pain in the dressing room. We will stay in touch with Jak and make sure he’s okay and look forward to welcoming him back soon.”

New signing Sean Brain is also unavailable for selection, while there will be a change at the other end of the pitch with Dan Jezeph returning to competitive action for the first time since November.

Jezeph was sent off and subsequently banned for 150 days for running into the referee while protesting a decision during a 6-1 defeat to Westfields last season.

It meant he missed the rest of the campaign with his standard three-match suspension for the red card still to serve at the start of this term.

City drafted in West Bromwich Albion youngster Ted Cann on work experience to cover, an arrangement that was extended while Jezeph got over a hamstring tweak.

“Dan is fit to play but we wanted him to be 100 per cent ready,” said Vincent.

“He hadn’t trained much, just once going into last weekend so he knew that while we had Ted we planned to play him while we got more work into Dan ahead of the Vase game.

“Dan will be a big asset for us because he is a fantastic keeper.

“Ted was fantastic as well and is someone who has one hell of a future ahead of him. It was great to be able to call on someone of his quality while we were without Dan.”

Meanwhile, Vincent is keen for continuity in his side now the fixture list is less hectic.

City swapped half of their outfield players for both the FA Cup defeat at Heather and draw with Stourport Swifts.

“That’s not the plan going forward at all but before we played Boldmere at home I was conscious of us having four games in eight days and a fifth one coming up on Saturday,” he said.

“I told the players I would have to utilise the squad, particularly with the temperatures as they were last weekend, I knew would not be able to ask players in certain positions to play twice in three days.”

Should City overcome Wellington, they will pocket £550 in prize money and earn a home tie with Highgate United or Ellistown in the second qualifying round.